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Making a gallery display and hanging art in your home can be very different enterprises, but they share a lot of challenges. Before you get started (and no matter where you are), make sure you have these essential tools.

1. Museum putty

A good hanging system fully supports your artwork. But if it's suspended or held by one central point, unwanted fingers can push or prod it slightly out of position. Museum putty can hold the frame tightly against the wall without leaving behind a stain or residue. It's also a useful barrier between the wall and a frame's sharp corners, just in case.

2. A block of wood.

Whether you're switching out old hardware for a better system or you're sticking with nails and screws, have a block of wood ready. It can help you get the leverage you need to remove thin, stuck nails without damaging the walls.

3. A level.

Adjustable hanging systems don't really need levels. They're built to be adjustable but still make it easy to click the hooks or corners into position. But sometimes you need independent verification to set your mind at ease.

4. Extra hardware.

This is especially useful if you work for a series of galleries. Switching all of your systems to one type means you only have to pull from one type of inventory to get the tools you need, and you don't have to keep track of multiple incompatible systems. So always have a few extra hooks, rail additions, and supports with you so you can change out pieces, rearrange your display, or expand it with a last-minute addition. Keep yourself supplied by going to Systematic Art.

Artwork that can hang from a single central point can adapt to almost any hanging system. Instead, if you're thinking about renovating your gallery or display with new hanging hardware, focus on your most complicated pieces. Basing your changes around the bulkiest, heaviest, and most fragile pieces mean you'll find a system that works for them all.

Why does a rail system work for pieces of art that need to hang from two points?

Short of falling art and property damage, the worst thing that can happen is a crooked art piece. Not only will it niggle at the corner of your thoughts, it can throw off your grid displays. It's even worse if you use traditional screws and nails because a crooked piece means having to fix one hole and make another. But a rail system often has ratcheted placement so you can hang your artwork straight without even a level.

How can a rail system protect your walls from heavy art?

Heavy art doesn't damage your wall all at once. Most screws and supports are designed to dig in, especially if the weight starts to make it dip down at an angle. But, even though this provides you with a bit of a warning, all it does is cause more wall damage and larger holes. But rail systems have multiple points of contact with a wall so the total weight of a hanging piece of art is distributed along the whole rail instead of a single stressed point.

Art adds personality to any commercial space, no matter what industry you work in. One of the best ways to incorporate art into your office, store, or franchise, is to bring in local art and regional culture, especially if you're growing across the country. Here's how to standardize the process for all of your properties:

Use the same hardware to hang artwork so you can use it across properties.

Standardization is key to keeping expenses both manageable and low. It makes it easier to get things done in multiple different locations, especially for procedures that involve potential safety concerns and liability. Leave the research and inventory of hardware in the hands of your central office so you can better maintain quality control instead of delegating it to local branches. Ordering one type in bulk can save you money, and it also makes insuring the art easier.

Order adjustable display equipment that can hold different sizes of art.

You can't standardize everything, and the art itself is certainly one of those things that's hard to keep consistent. Even within the same medium, region, and style, art is made in different sizes. Find hanging displays systems that can be easily modified to incorporate both small photos and large paintings without additional hardware or the need to hire an expert.

Using the same supplier and the same system means you can reduce as many variables as possible, and this is critical for increasing the number of your company's locations. Go to Systematic Art to find reliable, universal hardware so you can leave the variation and changes in the art.

Art displays systems often fade into the background. Both gallery designers and homeowners often look for suspension systems that are invisible, or as close as possible to invisible, in order to keep the focus on the art. But if you want to accent your art, and you don't want to fall back to ornate, bulky frames, consider a wire hanging system.

Three Ways a Wire Hanging System Makes Your Art Pop

They help transition between the room's other decor or displays and this display.

Art's surroundings can help set the stage or add context for a particular display. If a series of photographs is about architecture or has an industrial feel, a visible wire display accents the art and pulls it together while helping it stay separate from other displays. This can be particularly vital in crowded spaces or if you're competing for interest.

Suspension systems can add depth.

Dramatic lighting and a display system that supports art away from the wall creates stark shadows. Add drama and stark shading to your display that takes advantage of the materials themselves. Not only does it draw the eye, shadows make white margins or frames pop.

You can quickly incorporate new works or change the design.

If you have a gallery with repeat visitors, it's important to keep content fresh without cycling through it too quickly. If you have a new photo or piece of artwork that belongs in a sectional display, wire hanging systems help you easily and quickly make additions and subtractions. You can also rearrange a display entirely without changing heavy hardware or increasing the risk of damage.

Many display fashions focus on minimalism instead of ornate design. Not only does this make it easier to incorporate different styles of art without any clash, it also means you don't have to keep large inventories of several different hardware styles; you only need one or two. But even when you go for a classic or minimalistic design, you still have a few features you can play around with. One of the most common questions is should you have framed or frameless photo displays.

Consider margins instead of frames.

Instead of just considering a frame with any number of colors, consider a matte margin around your photographs. It gives the frameless, floating look you might be looking for, but it also draws attention to specific photos within a cohesive display. Here's how:

You can incorporate differently sized photos.

Not all photographs have the same pixel quality, and that means some will have to be smaller than others. If you have older photos from film cameras or older family mementos, you also can't standardize the size. Instead, use margins within frameless photo displays so the blocking, or the actual height and width of the total piece, is standardized. Not only does it make arranging the photos easier, it draws attention to the small, priceless photos.

It works with any color scheme.

White margins offset every photo well. Whether you have a black and white theme or your prints are in full color, matte, white surroundings make them pop. It also eases the transition from the photos to any color palette in your home's furnishing, floors, and features. It even stands out on white walls, because the smooth, raised finish provides contrast.

Whether you're creating a display in a commercial space, installing a central message board in a community center, or planning a photo wall in your home, reducing the number of holes and blemishes is a must. Here are three different ways to plan your system.

Tape the frame inserts to the wall to finalize your display. An arrangement you like in your head might be one you decide isn't quite right for your living room. Instead of picturing it in your head and improvising as you go, which might leave you changing your mind and changing where the nails end up, tape up the inserts from your frames. This lets you rearrange and change your mind without any damage and gives you a better idea of what the final product will look like.

Use an adjustable suspension system. The best way to minimize wall damage is to avoid it altogether. Use a suspension or wire system so the artwork hands from a grid or wire system instead of the wall. Not only does this mean you can you the same base arrangement that needs just a one-time installation, you can rearrange the artwork hanging from the system without any risk of wall damage at all.

Use laser tools to ensure level hanging for heavier art. Not all pieces of art can be hung from a central wire with one point of contact, but that increases the risk of crooked art. Use laser guiding levels to make sure your harnesses or screws are level. Also, if you're using two points of contact because of the art's weight, make sure you get hardware that protects the wall from wear and tear and reduce the risk of it falling.

Rearranging art displays is a great way to incorporate new photos or pieces, and it shouldn't require repair work between changes. Go to Systematic Art for the tools to hang your art and keep your walls safe.

Are you planning on attending an art show or fair in order to display your art? It's important to make a good first impression. Here are a few tips to help you out.

Check Out the Place Beforehand

Before planning what you are going to bring and how you are going to display it, make sure to pay a visit to the place. See how big it is, how much space you will have, and which kinds of display system will work best for you.

Create an Action Plan

Once you do that, you can start planning. Make a checklist of what you are going to bring, and be sure to know beforehand where you are going to hang up each picture.

Protect Your Art

Make sure that your art will be adequately protected. Make sure to have a secure and stable display system. If the fair is going to be outside, consider bringing along a sturdy tent or a large umbrella to protect your art from the sun and wind.

Set Up Early

Come early to the show so that you have enough time to set up. It pays to be ready on time.

Present Yourself

Make sure to engage with people who come to your booth. If the art is your own, they will want to talk with the artist and see what kind of person you are. You are selling yourself, not just the art you create. Make sure to dress appropriately as well.

When displaying art in your museum, university, commercial building or wherever, make sure not to make these common mistakes.

Art Is Too High

You want your art where people can see it. You don't want it too low down, but at the same time, you do not want it to high up. If people have to crane their necks to see the art, it will usually go unnoticed. How high is too high will depend on each situation.

Art Is Too Small

You do not want to hang up pictures that are very small and which will leave over large areas of empty wall space. Get pictures that are the right size for your room.

Hanging Them in the Wrong Spot

Hanging them in the wrong place does not just refer to the wrong place aesthetically. You do not want to hang your art directly in the sunlight, as the sun may fade the art and ruin it.

Sticking to One Method

Feel free to experiment with various methods of displaying art. You do not have to stick with hanging them on the wall. You can use various gallery display methods, such as rods, rail systems, hanging systems, window display systems, and much more.

Not Hanging Them Securely

Whichever method you use to display your art, make sure that they are secure. You do not want your art to fall down and get ruined. Neither do you want your pictures to hang on an angle or shake. For example, if you are hanging them on a wall, make sure to use more than one nail if needed.

Hanging art is half the joy of making it. But a lot of the most common procedures for display artwork causes damage. Instead of only getting to enjoy the art you make or purchase for a short amount of time, look into the best practices for securing art safely and without damage. Here are a few of the most common mistakes to avoid:

Find corner hardware that grabs onto the edges of the paper without damaging it. Pushpins are one of the most common tools for fixing art in place but they poke holes in the corners and, without adequate support, they can tear free and make the damage even worse. But hardware with felted clamps or that lets you slip artwork inside of a protective cover is better both for the art and the long-term display.

Use plastic or glass covers that block UV radiation. Direct sunlight damages artwork. It makes the colors fade no matter the medium, and it makes the underlying paper brittle. Canvas and metal can last longer, and thins paints and inks are less likely to crack, but the only way to fully protect your art is to block UV radiation to begin with.

Make sure your hardware has two secure points of contact. Both in regards to the artwork's points of contact with the hanging display and the display's contact with the wall or ceiling, make sure there are two points of contact so your art won't fall to the ground if one point fails. While hardware rated for sturdiness and with the right weight margins is best, taking the extra precaution of securely hung art is even better.

Securing your artwork shouldn't damage it. Go to Systematic Art to find the right solutions and what to avoid.